(SACRAMENTO) – The California Voting Rights Act of 2026 (CVRA 2026), comprised of Senate Bills 1164 and 1360 authored by Senator Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside), heads to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk after being approved by both the Assembly and Senate. CVRA 2026 updates the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 to provide increased protections against vote dilution, voter suppression, and other forms of voter discrimination that were once prohibited by Section 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 before the horrific Louisiana v. Callais decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, and expands language access assistance to more limited English proficiency (LEP) voters.

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Senator Lena Gonzalez’s (D-Long Beach) Senate Bill (SB) 423, the Detention Facility Transparency Act, passed the Legislature and now heads to the Governor’s desk for a signature. 
 

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 903 by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego), a measure designed to ensure that mental health services are safe, ethical, and conducted by trained professionals, not artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. The bill would prohibit AI algorithms from providing or advertising “therapy” and set standards for professionals’ use of AI to promote human-centered care.

SB 99 improves coordination among military and civil authorities so those with military protective orders are covered off bases
SACRAMENTO – The Legislature has passed legislation by Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear, D-Encinitas, to improve coordination among military and civil authorities to protect against interpersonal violence, and sent it to the Governor to sign.

The California Legislature today approved Sen. Jerry McNerney’s SB 947, the No Robo Bosses Act of 2026 — groundbreaking legislation that would require human oversight of artificial intelligence systems in the workplace to prevent abuses.
If enacted, SB 947 would be the first such law in the nation.

The California College Promise allows for waiving of tuition fees for qualified students enrolled in a community college

Senate Bill (SB) 1213 has passed its final legislative votes in the California Legislature and will now head to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for consideration. The bill establishes new market transparency requirements for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, helping ensure California’s clean transportation investments deliver greater value for fleet operators, taxpayers, and communities burdened by diesel pollution.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear, D-Encinitas, on Monday issued the following statement regarding her decision not to move forward with SB 1259, legislation that sought to require oil refineries to disclose their plans for cleaning up their sites should they close:

The California Legislature tonight approved Sen. Jerry McNerney’s SB 813, landmark legislation that would establish a first-in-the-nation framework for independent, third-party assessments of potential safety risks posed by artificial intelligence systems.

The California Legislature today approved Sen. Jerry McNerney’s SB 1168, which is designed to protect Californians from skyrocketing utility rates caused by data centers.
SB 1168 would direct the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to examine data centers’ use of excessive amounts of energy and ensure that Californians don’t face rate hikes as a result.